How the &^%$& do you change the fuel filter?
- Thread starter alia176
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Thanks for the info on the fuel filter. changed out in 1.5hrs. Thanks for the pics Alia.
step1 took off gas cap
step2 removed tire and put in jack stand
step3 removed fuel line engine side 1st. minimal gas (from wheel well area w/small exnt and
17mm socket)
step4 removed tank side line. tried to capture gas in a starbuck bottle w/a funnel taped to it
caugt about 1/3. Aint worth the trouble if you take off gas cap to take off pressure.
from the top side on a ladder. (small ext w/ 17mm socket)
step5 removed mounting bolt ***NOTE.. I only had 1 nut in the dang thing. Iv'e driven
step1 took off gas cap
step2 removed tire and put in jack stand
step3 removed fuel line engine side 1st. minimal gas (from wheel well area w/small exnt and
17mm socket)
step4 removed tank side line. tried to capture gas in a starbuck bottle w/a funnel taped to it
caugt about 1/3. Aint worth the trouble if you take off gas cap to take off pressure.
from the top side on a ladder. (small ext w/ 17mm socket)
step5 removed mounting bolt ***NOTE.. I only had 1 nut in the dang thing. Iv'e driven
Opps. continued from #22
step5 cont' I only had 1 nut in the mount. Bet the sissy mech before said F*** it. It's sayed for 20k
and 4 or so times out wheelin.
step6 turned starter to blow out any crap that might be in fuel line (sprays gas, be careful)
step7 from wheel well area connected both lines a few turns
step8 from wheel well (by the way w/12mm socket and ext) put back mounting bolt
*with locktight
step9 tightened the fuel lines
step10 (before putting tire back on) started engine and checked for leaks.
step11 put tire back on works great.
step5 cont' I only had 1 nut in the mount. Bet the sissy mech before said F*** it. It's sayed for 20k
and 4 or so times out wheelin.
step6 turned starter to blow out any crap that might be in fuel line (sprays gas, be careful)
step7 from wheel well area connected both lines a few turns
step8 from wheel well (by the way w/12mm socket and ext) put back mounting bolt
*with locktight
step9 tightened the fuel lines
step10 (before putting tire back on) started engine and checked for leaks.
step11 put tire back on works great.
Doug, you crack me up! I thought i was bad about replacing parts just for fun and PM, but you have probably a 93ish94ish95ish96ish2004ish2005ish cruiser. I bet at least one if not both of your cruisers have almost all new parts. 
Im always glad for folks to share suggestions. My opinion is that intentionally engaging the starter with fuel line disconnected is unnecessarily risky with no worthwhile reward. You have already run thousands of gallons of gas through the filter. Why worry about the little bit that is remaining in the line? Gasoline, as we all know, is extremely flamable. Spraying it out of the line while running the starter, in my opinion, is not to be recommended. One who wants to be cautious would disconnect battery prior to loosening any of the fuel lines.
Sorry for the old thread, but Ali has some good pics and the others also add good hints.
Doing this today, and after reading this thread, it hasn't been bad at all.
IIRC, Jim (elmariachi) posted this in another thread, doing the fuel filter, PHH, and starter makes some real good sense. Did the starter earlier in the day and thought I might as well attack the FF (PHH was done about a year.5 ago) With starter out of the way, both the rear banjo bolt and the DS mounting bolt were a breeze.
The front banjo I used a 17mm flare wrench and it popped real quick. I put my hand through the left of the shock. My wheel wells are all taken out except for the metal factory ones. Having these off makes it a real cinch. The PS mounting bolt can be difficult. I took the large starter harness off of it's mount and pulled it aside (since the starter is already out) and easily saw this bolt. 17mm socket, 2 extensions, and I was able to get it off in a jiffy doing it on my back; Put socket on one extension and with left hand reach up and push it onto the 12mm bolt. Then with your right hand grab your ratchet with 2nd extention and plug into first extension.
Very little (12-19 drops from both ends) fuel came out. It probably helped that the battery was disconnected (has been for four day snow) and fuel cap was off. Didn't have to unplug the fuel pump connection at all.
Anyway, thanks again for this info. Made this contortionist job much easier....
Doing this today, and after reading this thread, it hasn't been bad at all.
IIRC, Jim (elmariachi) posted this in another thread, doing the fuel filter, PHH, and starter makes some real good sense. Did the starter earlier in the day and thought I might as well attack the FF (PHH was done about a year.5 ago) With starter out of the way, both the rear banjo bolt and the DS mounting bolt were a breeze.
The front banjo I used a 17mm flare wrench and it popped real quick. I put my hand through the left of the shock. My wheel wells are all taken out except for the metal factory ones. Having these off makes it a real cinch. The PS mounting bolt can be difficult. I took the large starter harness off of it's mount and pulled it aside (since the starter is already out) and easily saw this bolt. 17mm socket, 2 extensions, and I was able to get it off in a jiffy doing it on my back; Put socket on one extension and with left hand reach up and push it onto the 12mm bolt. Then with your right hand grab your ratchet with 2nd extention and plug into first extension.
Very little (12-19 drops from both ends) fuel came out. It probably helped that the battery was disconnected (has been for four day snow) and fuel cap was off. Didn't have to unplug the fuel pump connection at all.
Anyway, thanks again for this info. Made this contortionist job much easier....
Thanks for bumping this Beno, FF is on my list.
TX_TLC said:
All I did was take the hole that faces the block and drilled series of 1/4 inch holes (IIRC) right next to it to "slot" that area. That way you can leave the bolt in a little loose, slide the filter slot in, tighten that bolt and then get the easier to handle bolt back in place. HTH.
This might be the wrong side of the filter, but it sounds to me like they're saying to take your cutting tool and do something like this.
ed97fzj80 said:
That's it! Cannot tell from the foto if that is the "correct" side to slot but really I dont think that it matters much; as long as you have one less bolt to thread to the hole while holding the filter and yer wrench and yer beer, etc, I think the job is incredibly easier.
Remember not to tighten the banjo bolts til the filter is bolted in tightly to the underside of the upper intake plenum. HTH.
Rookie2 said:
Sorry R2. Yes, it should be a 12mm socket on 12mm bolt.
I had the vices ready to clamp, but after releasing the pressure via the gas cap, there was really nothing that came out (and there is a 3/4 full tank in there). Just a bunch of drops and that was it.
My truck has been sitting awhile now, so I think this might have something to do with it.
I am finally completing many of the projects that have been piling up on my shelves.
-o-
canyoneer said:
I put my old one in a vice and took a hack saw to it. It was the darkest brown element I have ever seen. It was nasty, grimy dirty, etc.
Either way, this looks like it was the original (I've got about 161K on her).
TX_TLC said:
There is a bolt hole in each mounting tab/wing (see pic above) on the filter. On the one that points toward the engine, cut it all the way out and make it a full slot. You can then start that bolt first and then slide the filter up on it, where it will hang by itself. This will hold the filter up in place until you can start the other bolt.
